Inspection, Monitoring + Identification
25%of exam
Treatment Planning + Equipment
22%of exam
Preparation, Application + Maintenance
23%of exam
Environmental Protection + Safety
15%of exam
Personal Protection + Safety
15%of exam
Quick Facts
- Exam
- Branch 2 Field Representative
- Board
- California SPCB
- Vendor
- PSI Exams
- Scored
- 125 questions
- Experimental
- 5-15 unscored
- Time
- 2.5 hours
- Pass
- 70%
- Delivery
- Computer testing center
- Approval
- Six months
- Retake
- 30 days
- Exam Fee
- $75
- Training
- 40 hours; 20 field
Four Pest Resources
Food Water Harborage Entry
FoodWaterHarborageEntry
Sign vs Conducive Condition
Pest Sign
- Supports pest activity
- Examples: droppings, skins
Conducive Condition
- Supports future infestation
- Examples: leaks, clutter
Condition alone proves no infestation
Pest Evidence Picker
- Live pest found→Identify specimen(Confirm body features)
- Droppings found→Corroborate species(Use multiple clues)
- Monitor stays empty→Reposition monitor(Target travel routes)
- Moisture only→Record conducive condition(Not confirmed infestation)
- Wood-destroying evidence→Refer Branch 3(Outside Branch 2)
- Lethal-gas fumigation→Refer Branch 1(Outside Branch 2)
Inspection Clues
- Live specimens
- Confirm current activity
- Droppings
- Corroborate species clues
- Cast skins
- Growth or harborage clue
- Gnaw marks
- Rodent activity clue
- Rub marks
- Repeated rodent travel
- Webbing
- Stored-product pest clue
- Damage
- Locate feeding activity
- Odor
- Support other evidence
Branch 2 vs Branch 3
Branch 2
- Household pests
- No lethal-gas fumigation
- Excludes wood-destroying organisms
Branch 3
- Wood-destroying organisms
- Insecticides or structural repairs
- Excludes fumigation
Match pest category before treatment
Pest Identification
- German cockroach
- Two dark pronotal stripes
- American cockroach
- Large reddish-brown adult
- Oriental cockroach
- Shiny dark body
- Bed bug
- Flat oval body
- Flea
- Laterally flattened jumper
- Roof rat
- Tail exceeds body length
- Norway rat
- Tail shorter than body
- Indianmeal moth
- Pantry larvae create webbing
Monitoring + Conditions
- Food
- Remove accessible sources
- Water
- Correct leaks and moisture
- Harborage
- Reduce shelter and clutter
- Entry
- Seal access points
- Glue board
- Track crawling activity
- Pheromone trap
- Monitor target adults
- Trap map
- Repeat consistent placement
- Trend
- Compare counts over time
IPM Sequence
Inspect Identify Threshold Control Evaluate
InspectIdentifyThresholdControlEvaluate
Applicator vs Field Representative
Applicator
- Applies pesticides
- Cannot inspect or contract
- Works for registered company
Field Representative
- Inspects and identifies
- Secures work for company
- Acts for registered company
This exam tests Field Representative
Treatment Picker
- Entry gaps dominate→Use exclusion(Block access first)
- Food or moisture→Correct sanitation(Remove pest resources)
- Active travel route→Place bait or monitor(Follow label placement)
- Void harborage→Choose labeled void method(Limit off-target exposure)
- Sensitive site→Reduce exposure potential(Prefer targeted controls)
- Weather conflicts→Postpone application(Prevent drift or runoff)
IPM Planning
- Inspect
- Define pest and site
- Identify
- Confirm target species
- Threshold
- Set action level
- Sanitation
- Remove pest resources
- Exclusion
- Block pest access
- Mechanical
- Trap or physically remove
- Chemical
- Use labeled targeted treatment
- Evaluate
- Measure results and adjust
Calibration Check
Area Rate Output Time
AreaRateOutputTime
Field Representative vs Operator
Field Representative
- Acts for registered company
- Cannot operate independently
Operator
- May own registered company
- May be qualifying manager
Do not use Operator blueprint
Formulations
- Bait
- Pest consumes active ingredient
- Gel
- Precise bait placement
- Dust
- Dry void treatment
- Granule
- Coarse dry particles
- Aerosol
- Pressurized fine droplets
- Wettable powder
- Suspension needs agitation
- Emulsifiable concentrate
- Oil formulation in water
- Microencapsulated
- Controlled active release
Equipment + Calibration
- Fan nozzle
- Broad uniform swath
- Pin stream
- Narrow directed treatment
- Lower pressure
- Coarser droplets; less drift
- Worn nozzle
- Usually increases output
- Calibration
- Measures delivered volume
- Agitation
- Keeps suspension mixed
- Anti-siphon
- Prevents supply backflow
- Equipment check
- Find leaks and wear
Label vs SDS
Label
- Controls legal use
- Lists sites and rates
- Specifies required PPE
SDS
- Explains chemical hazards
- Supports emergency response
- Does not authorize use
Application choices come from label
Label + Notice
- Label
- Legal use directions
- SDS
- Hazard response details
- Signal word
- Acute toxicity category
- Precautions
- Exposure prevention directions
- First aid
- Exposure response directions
- EPA number
- Product registration identity
- Listed site
- Required before application
- Consumer notice
- Follow required timing
Crack-and-Crevice vs Surface
Crack-and-Crevice
- Targets structural openings
- Precise limited placement
General Surface
- Covers broad surfaces
- Requires explicit label permission
Never expand application beyond label
Application Methods
- Crack-and-crevice
- Treat structural openings
- Spot treatment
- Treat limited discrete areas
- General surface
- Treat broad labeled surfaces
- Space treatment
- Disperse within labeled airspace
- Baiting
- Place accessible target food
- Void treatment
- Treat hidden cavities
- Exterior perimeter
- Treat labeled outside band
- Exclusion
- Seal pest entry
Math + Follow-Up
- Area
- Length times width
- Finished volume
- Rate times treated area
- Dilution
- Follow label units exactly
- Application record
- Document actual treatment
- Follow-up
- Compare activity after treatment
- Retreatment
- Respect label interval
- Resistance
- Rotate modes when appropriate
- Maintenance
- Correct equipment deficiencies
Spill Sequence
Protect Stop Contain Clean Report
ProtectStopContainCleanReport
Spill + Storage
- Protect
- Keep people away
- Control
- Stop source safely
- Contain
- Block spread and drains
- Clean
- Follow label and SDS
- Report
- Follow reporting requirements
- Original container
- Keep label attached
- Service container
- Identify contents clearly
- Vehicle transport
- Secure upright containers
- Storage
- Lock, ventilate, separate
Water Protection
- Storm drain
- Prevent pesticide entry
- Backflow
- Prevent supply contamination
- Drift
- Control off-target movement
- Runoff
- Avoid saturated application sites
- Weather
- Check wind and rain
- Mixing site
- Protect nearby water
- Impervious surface
- Contain and recover spills
- Buffer restriction
- Follow label distance
Exposure Routes
Skin Eyes Lungs Mouth
DermalOcularInhalationOral
Acute vs Chronic
Acute
- Short exposure period
- Effects may appear quickly
Chronic
- Repeated exposure period
- Effects may appear later
Timing distinguishes exposure patterns
Safety Response Picker
- Skin exposure→Remove contaminated clothing(Follow label washing)
- Eye exposure→Rinse immediately(Follow label duration)
- Inhalation exposure→Move to fresh air(Seek emergency help)
- Ingestion exposure→Call Poison Control(Never improvise treatment)
- Small spill→Protect, stop, contain(Follow cleanup directions)
- Drain threatened→Block pesticide movement(Follow reporting requirements)
Exposure + First Aid
- Dermal
- Skin exposure route
- Ocular
- Eye exposure route
- Inhalation
- Lung exposure route
- Oral
- Mouth exposure route
- Acute
- Short-term exposure effects
- Chronic
- Repeated long-term effects
- First aid
- Follow product label
- Medical help
- Bring product information
PPE + Respirators
- PPE selection
- Follow label requirements
- Chemical gloves
- Check required material
- Eye protection
- Prevent splash exposure
- Coveralls
- Reduce skin exposure
- Medical evaluation
- Before respirator use
- Fit test
- Confirms respirator fit
- Seal check
- Perform each wearing
- Cartridge schedule
- Replace before breakthrough
- Work clothing
- Wash separately
Common Traps
Identity Trap
Field Representative exam only ≠ Not Applicator
Question Count Trap
125 questions are scored ≠ Five to fifteen experimental
Timing Trap
Scored exam gets 2.5 hours ≠ Experimental time is excluded
Blueprint Trap
Use Field Representative weights ≠ Operator weights differ
Branch Scope Trap
Branch 2 excludes fumigation ≠ Branch 2 excludes WDO
Label Trap
Label authorizes application ≠ SDS explains hazards
Risk Trap
Lower toxicity differs from exposure ≠ Targeted placement reduces exposure
Independence Trap
Field Representatives need registered company ≠ Operators may own companies
Last Minute
- 1.Confirm Field Representative identity
- 2.Review all five domains
- 3.Memorize 25-22-23-15-15
- 4.Practice pest clue matching
- 5.Separate signs from conditions
- 6.Match formulation to site
- 7.Recheck calibration units
- 8.Read label before choosing
- 9.Separate label from SDS
- 10.Protect drains and water
- 11.Know exposure first aid
- 12.Distinguish Branch 1/2/3
- 13.Distinguish all license roles
- 14.Answer every presented item
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